


Love Where You Least Expect It

by BostonKate123



Category: Happiest Season (2020)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:35:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28491006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BostonKate123/pseuds/BostonKate123
Summary: Breaking up with an ex? Not as bad as one would think. Finding a new love with a new best friend? Terrifying.
Relationships: Abby Holland/Riley Johnson
Comments: 5
Kudos: 48





	Love Where You Least Expect It

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any rights to the movie Happiest Season or the characters involved in the movie. I am just a mere fan who is adding depth to the character's lives through my writing. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS!

Chapter 1:

Moving on was easier than Abby thought it would be. Breaking up with Harper at the Christmas Eve party turned out to be a blessing in disguise in the long run for both of them. Abby moved out once they were all back from the Caldwell’s. Once she graduated and finally got her PhD she moved and began working at Yale as Dr. Holland professor of Art and History with a concentration in trends and fads throughout the eras. When she left Pittsburg for the job, Harper and she began talking, really talking and soon they realized that they were better as friends and the breakup became so much easier. Abby left 6 months after the Christmas party and she has now been working at Yale for 3 months. John moved with Abby and they are living together which has turned out to be amazing. They are each other’s lifelines. John helped Abby after the breakup with Harper and Abby helps John weekly to avoid clingy boyfriends or potential stalkers. Harper has also recently been promoted to lead journalist for the Pittsburg Post-Gazette.

It may have been rough at first for the both of them, but now they are friends. They catch up as often as they can, they still follow each other on social media sites, and they both realized they loved each other but they weren’t the one for each other. Harper even has a girlfriend now who works as a news anchor at the local news station in Pittsburg, match made in heaven Abby told her one day during their talks. Harper and her girlfriend have even visited Abby and John a few times since the move and Harper’s girlfriend Lizzie is completely fine with Abby and Harper being friends. But what surprised Abby the most over the course of this year is not that she is still friends with Harper and her family, or that she is now officially Dr. Holland, no what surprised her the most is Riley. Ever since the Christmas fiasco Riley and Abby have been inseparable. Texting every day, facetiming every week for a “date night” which includes take out and Netflix together, and sharing every little detail they can about their childhoods, work, families, everything. Riley has become a permanent fixture in Abby’s life. And Abby is beyond grateful for that, but she is also confused on what they are labeled as. Neither has dated since meeting each other on Christmas last year, but Abby is still too sacred to as Riley what they are for fear that Riley will say they are just good friends.

It started with late night venting and crying sessions about the breakup and slowly moved into a more romantic and comfortable territory, falling asleep with each other on Facetime, sending care packages to each other, inside jokes, and even flirting at time. It is all very confusing, but Abby is still fearful to make a move. She knows she likes Riley more than just a friend, but she doesn’t want to risk losing her if something goes wrong. Harper and her girlfriend along with John have tried time and time again to push Abby to say something to Riley, but she hasn’t budged yet.

As Abby sat at home one December night grading papers of her students before term ended for the holiday season, she found herself thinking about her situation with Riley. Being alone with her thoughts actually comforted her tonight. John was out with his new police officer boyfriend Colton for the evening so sitting, grading papers, and having a glass of wine Abby began to reflect on the past year and how everything has changed; changed for the better that is.

As she moved on to another student’s paper her phone rang, lighting up the dimly lit room and vibrating across the coffee table. Without checking the caller ID, she answered **“Hello Dr. Holland speaking.”.**

**“Abby hey! I’m glad I caught you and not your voicemail. My mom messaged me tonight and would love to know if you and John would like to join us for Christmas this year as well. She still considers you and John family. I told her I would ask, and she wants to know if you would like to stay with us for the week if you can?”** Harper’s cheery voice rang through the phone filling the silent apartment.

“ **Harper hey! Uh wow that is so nice of your mom and your family. I would have to talk to John, but are you sure Lizzie will be okay with this? Won’t it be weird?”** Abby asks.

“ **No, no its totally cool. Actually, it was Lizzie who brought the idea up first. Plus, Jane is bringing her new boyfriend and Sloane is bringing her new boyfriend as well and Eric is still coming and it is not weird for them, so why should it be weird for us right? Mom also invited John’s boyfriend as well.”** Harper said easing Abby’s nerves about the awkwardness.

“ **Wow yeah no that makes sense. So, Christmas would be great, I have to ask John and Colton but I’m in for sure. What day should we show up and how long should we stay?”** Abby asks smiling a genuine smile. Most people would think it would be odd to return to the home that caused her heartbreak last year, but since that happened, she has grown close to the whole Caldwell family and they have all changed for the better and are actually amazing people to be around. Harper and Riley have even mended their friendship and with lots of long talks and apologies Riley is healing after what happened in high school.

“ **Great! And no need to ask John, I texted him and he said that he and Colton are in! Lizzie and I are leaving on the 20 th and staying until the 1st, Mom invited you all to stay for that long too if you want to stay that long with us?”. **Harper asks with what sounds like hope in her voice.

“ **We’ll be there. I’m on break from work starting tomorrow so we will head out then and we can stay until the 1 st. Thank again for this Harper, thank you for still including me in your family and giving me the gift of loving Christmas again!” **Abby says with a genuine voice and tears of joy building in her eyes.

“ **No need to thank me Abby. I’m glad I could do that for you after everything you’ve done for me. And who knows maybe we can finally get you to admit you love Riley over this break huh?”** Harper says laughing softly into the phone.

 **“Yeah, yeah okay enough, yes I like Riley but I’m too scared to ask her.”** Abby says biting her lip.

“ **We’ll fix that no worries, but I’ve got to get back to writing a piece for work. See you on the 20 th! Bye Abs!” **Harper says her goodbyes.

“ **By Harp, see you on the 20 th!” **Abby hangs up smiling.

After texting John and finalizing their plans to leave and stay from the 20th to the 1st, she gets back to grading, well at least she does until her phone rings again.

“ **Hello, Dr. Holland speaking?”** she answers once again.

“ **Well hello Dr. Holland it’s Dr. Johnson speaking.”** She can see Riley’s smirk through the phone.

“ **So guess who got another invite to stay with the Caldwell’s over Christmas again?”** Abby says breaking out the news fast before she can chicken out and spring a surprise on Riley when she shows up in her hometown once again.

“ **No way! Wow broken up but still part of the family and still going to Christmas?! I’m impressed Dr. Holland, good for you! And I’m glad because now I get to see my family for Christmas.”** Riley states in her cheerful joking tone that Abby loves oh so much.

Confused Abby responds “ **What do you mean you now get to see your family?”**

 **“Well I was going to surprise you and drive to you and stay in a hotel and be with you for Christmas so you were not alone for the holidays, but now that you’re going to the Caldwell’s I can go home too and see my family and still be with you.”** Riley tells her and what she says shocks Abby beyond belief and she finds herself hanging up and calling Riley back through Facetime. Starting at Riley through the phone with a look that is mixed of shock, awe, and yes love she finds herself with tears in her eyes saying

“ **You would have given up Christmas with your family to be with me?”**

 **“Of course I would Ab, I would do anything for you. No one should be alone on Christmas, especially not you.”** Riley says biting her lip and looking back at Abby.

Blushing Abby cannot believe what Riley truly would do for her, but she knows she would do the same for Riley.

“ **Hey beautiful what’s going on in that smart head of yours? I can see the wheels turning from here.”** Riley watches her and is trying to gauge her expressions and reactions.

Without thinking Abby blurts out “ **I love you!”.** And as she said this her eyes widen and she covered her eyes with her hand.

Slowly she opened her eyes and saw Riley grinning at her and then she heard something that she never thought in her wildest dreams she would hear and that was Riley saying.

“ **Finally, about time one of us said it. I love you too goofball.”**

**TO BE CONTINUED**


End file.
